People: Midler to give first Oscars performance
Bette Midler will perform at the Academy Awards for the first time.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Midler’s booking Wednesday. The show’s producers declined to say what number Midler will perform.
As the team behind the films “Chicago” and “Hairspray,” producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are quite familiar with musical performance. As Oscar producers last year, they featured a tribute to movie musicals that included Barbra Streisand.
Previously announced musical performers include Pharrell Williams and Idina Menzel. Williams will be singing his Oscar-nominated tune “Happy” from “Despicable Me.” Menzel will sing her hit number “Let It Go” from Disney’s “Frozen.”
The Oscars will be hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. ABC will broadcast the show live March 2 in Los Angeles.
Coach Green leaving ‘The Voice’
Cee Lo Green said he’s quitting as a coach on “The Voice.”
The singer-songwriter-actor announced on Wednesday’s “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that he won’t be coming back “at all.”
He already was taking a break from the sixth season of the NBC talent competition, which begins airing Monday.
But Green told Ellen DeGeneres that he plans to continue his relationship with NBC, with which he has a development deal. NBC confirmed Green’s departure from the show and expressed hopes to work with him on future projects.
Green was one of the original coaches when “The Voice” premiered in 2011. He appeared in seasons one through three, as well as season five.
Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Usher and Shakira will serve as coaches for the upcoming “Voice” season.
Williams to join ‘After Midnight’
Vanessa Williams wants to stay up after midnight.
The actress, singer and former Miss America watched the matinee performance of “After Midnight” on Wednesday and then broke it to the cast backstage that she has signed up for a stint in the Broadway show celebrating Duke Ellington’s years at the Cotton Club nightclub.
Williams said, “It’s an honor to jump in. It’s a well-oiled machine, up and running and I think it’ll be a perfect fit.
Williams, who next month turns 50, will start as a guest vocalist on April 1 and end May 11, replacing Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Toni Braxton, who in turn replaced k.d. lang.
The birthday bunch
Actor Sidney Poitier is 87. Actress Sandy Duncan is 68. Guitarist J. Geils (The J. Geils Band) is 68. Actress Brenda Blethyn is 68. Actor Peter Strauss is 67. Actor French Stewart (“Third Rock from the Sun”) is 50. Model Cindy Crawford is 48. Singer Brian Littrell (Backstreet Boys) is 39. Actress Lauren Ambrose (“Six Feet Under”) is 36. Singer Rihanna is 26.